WAHIAWA, Hawaii (AP) -- Nearly a dozen workers were evacuated from the Dole Food Company building Tuesday after a container filled with chemicals began to swell and smolder, fire officials said.
A fire hazardous-materials team was called to the scene, but decided against evacuating residents living near the Whitmore Avenue building since winds were blowing the smoke away from the homes.
``We don't want to create a panic,'' fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said. ``Everything is stable right now.''
Dole officials said the chemicals are mixed to create a resin-like substance to create a lining in pipes. But the refrigeration apparently stopped working.
Firefighters were monitoring the containers late into the night.
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